Strain engineering of membrane layers in heterostructures

Abstract

Provided are methods of generating strain in membrane layers, including diamond membrane layers, in heterostructures. In embodiments, a method of forming a strained membrane layer comprises heating a heterostructure, the heterostructure comprising a membrane layer, a substrate, and a bonding layer between the membrane layer and the substrate, under conditions to cure the bonding layer and form a bonded heterostructure, wherein the membrane layer and the substrate have a thermal expansion ratio mismatch; and cooling the bonded heterostructure under conditions to convert the membrane layer in the bonded heterostructure to a strained membrane layer characterized by a strain profde comprising anon-zero strain value, wherein the strained membrane layer comprises a suspended region and a supported region and wherein the suspended region exhibits a strain value greater than a strain value exhibited by the supported region. Bonded heterostructures comprising the strained membrane layers are also provided.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.